Another One for the Road
by midnightdawn014
Summary: A short scene I was inspired to write after finishing the game. Takes place a couple of years after the end.


For as long as I can remember, every year on this day there's a group of three who set up camp out back. They're later than usual this year so I'm going to start setting up for them. I'm trying to get a fire started when a big shadow looms over me.

"That's not how you build a fire."

"Are you picking on kids big guy?"

"I don't pick on you, do I?"

"What? Hey!"

"You should know better than to fight in front of a child."

I scramble to my feet. "I'm not a kid anymore. I'm old enough to help my papa. I thought you might need some extra help because you're late. If I don't help, you're not going to have enough time to set up before the sun sets."

"You've been looking out for us?"

"Well, I just realized that you always come on this day. Why?"

"Because, this is where it all began."

"Does it end?" I ask.

"No, it never ended."

They grew quiet after that, only the crackling of the fire breaks the silence as it's brought to life. Four chairs are put around the fire. One of them doesn't look as worn down and faded as the others.

"Do you have another friend coming this time?"

"He's always here."

"He just takes his sweet time. He owes us for making us wait; now we'll make him wait for us."

"But, I wouldn't mind waiting another eternity, if it meant we'll see each other again in this life."

"Perhaps not in this life, but in the next."

"Jared!"

"That's my Papa is calling. I have to go now. Bye misters!" I'm about to run back to my Papa when I get pulled back by one of them.

"You're Jared! No wonder you looked familiar. When did you get so big?"

"Well, he always used to hide whenever we got visitors, so you guys never got the chance to see him much. I hope he wasn't bothering you."

"He was no trouble at all Talcott. He actually lent us a hand."

"And for that, you get a prize Jared!"

"A prize?"

"Come over here and pick it out." He carefully opens up a box in front of me and pulls out pictures.

"You should consider yourself lucky Jared, Prompto doesn't just give pictures from his collection to anyone. Even I didn't get one."

 **"** You know you could have asked if you wanted one Gladio."

"You have so many pictures of the sun mister Prompto."

"The sunrise, it's a gift from a friend. I wanted to capture each one of his gifts. This one is from today; it looks like the sunrise on the day we left Iggy." Prompto stares at one of the pictures as though he's reliving a memory. A gentle breeze interrupts his thoughts and he suddenly looks up surprised, as if he forgotten he wasn't alone. "I also have more pictures you can use for your next book Talcott."

"I appreciate it Prompto. I actually have another draft that I can share with all of you. Let me go get it."

"I'll come with you Papa." I wave goodbye to our visitors and follow Papa back home. "How do you know those people Papa?"

"Do you remember all those stories I told you, about a time when an eternal darkness covered the land."

"Are they the heroes from your stories Papa! Weren't there four of them? Which one is the king?"

"Those men there, they were the ones who stood by the king's side, as a comrade, friend and brother. But the king they once protected didn't need to be protected anymore."

"Did the king get so strong he didn't need anyone to protect him? What happened to him?"

"He gave his light to the world. They all did. The darkness was vanquished with the return of the light. But to defeat the darkness, they lost a part of their light forever."

"If they lost their light, it would be dark. But you said the dark went away."

"This is a different type of darkness that dims the light of your heart leaving it empty. Even though our world is filled with light again, nothing can penetrate this darkness. And no matter what you do, it's hard to find meaning again."

I don't understand what Papa is saying, but it makes me sad. "I won't let you lose your light Papa."

"I know you won't, because you're my little light." Papa pats my head and picks up a book from his desk. "Want to deliver this to them for me?"

"Can I?" I take the book from Papa and go back to the camp.

They are heroes that lost their light. I hope that they can find it again. It's quiet when I get back to the camp and they're all staring up at the sky. I look up trying to find what they're looking at.

"One day, we'll share the same sky again."


End file.
